Improvement in curtain-fixtures



W. E. SKINNER.

'CRTAIN-FIXTURES.

Patented Oct. 24, 1876.

FIG. j.

N. PETERS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SKINNER, lOF MILFORD, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CURTAIN-FIXTURES.. I

v Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,5 l 5, dated-October 24, 1876; application filed May 26, 1876.

To all whom it may concerne Be it knownthat I,.W1LLIAM ELIsHA SKIN- NER, of Milford,in the county of. Oakland and State of Michigan,have invented a Curtain- Fixture; and I do hereby declare that the following description, taken==in connection with the annexedsheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a sideA elevation of my improved curtain-fixture, parts being broken to illustrate'their general arrangement. Fig. 2 is asectional frontelevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 4, a perspective view ofone of the brackets. Fig. 5 is a plan of the; ilanges lof the curtain-roller.l l

Likeletters or" reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

The first part of my invention relates vto the arrangement, with a curtain-roller, of a ratchet-wheel, engaging with a gravitationpawl, operated by the pulley-cord in such mannerthat the curtain can be raised or lowered by manipulating said cord, which, while operating said curtain, keeps the said gravitation-pawl disengaged.

The second part of my invention relates to the construction of the roller; and it consists in the arrangement of hollow telescoping sections, and a iiexible covering for the same, whereby said roller is rendered -adjustable in regard to its len gth.' It furthermore consists in an extension device for the slat, wherebyl the same can be instantly adjusted to any desired width to correspond with the curtain.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to :make and use the same, I shall proceed to describe its particulars of construction, and thereby refer .to the hereinbefore-mentioned drawings, which form a part of this specification, and

serve to illustrate my said invention more fully.

A A are the two brackets by means of which the curtain B is suspended, in conjunction with the roller C. These brackets I construct of suitable material, sheet metal of proper thickness being preferable on account of its ductility, and because it enables me to cut the blanks forming said brackets by means of suitable dies. rllhey may,

however, be cast, and if so produced, answerV all purposes as well. .Each of the brackets A A' consists of two sides, a a', jointed to a common-base, b, and capped .with a `curved plate, o. The side a has a slot, d, for the passage of the lroller-pivotsrc, and the front of the sides a is provided with appropriate ornaments. The space between the two sides of either one. of the 4two brackets contains the operating partsfor the curtain-roller, these brackets being lmade right and left;

but the onecontaining said operating device should be made somewhat wider than theV other. This operatillggdevice vconsists of a ratchet-wheel, D, fastened to the pivot e, and the cord-drum E, having a iiange, f, to prevent the cord Ffromleaving said drum. The ratchet-wheel D engagesr with a gravitationpawl, gpivoted below said wheel. The lower extremity G of this pawl is made-very heavy to cause it to assume a perpendicular position, and thereby toengage its projection with the ratchet-wheel D.

The operation of the parts thus far described may be stated to beas follows: Previous to placing -the curtain-roller. into. the

brackets, the cord F is wound upon the drumv E, and passed through the interior of that.

bracketl arranged` to receive. the operatingl device, If the curtain-rolleris now inserted into the brackets and the roller-cord F pulled, it will cause the lower and heavier part of the` gravitation-pawl to move forward, and thereby to disengage its -vprojectionfg, so that the curtain can be rolled up to any `desired elevation, and securely held there as soon as thepulley-cord. allows the gravitation-pawl to assume its normal position.l If it is desired to lowerthe curtain it must first be caused to ascend, as heretofore described, to disengage.

tions, when drawn out to within a distance of from six to eight inches, being of a length to suit the extreme of ordinary house-windows.`

By this arrangement I am enabled to adjust the roller instantaneously to the desired length without cutting or other manipulation.

The arrangement of this roller is plainly illustrated in Fig. 3, where C and C"` are the two sections of the roller. In order to secure the curtain to these rollers I provide the end flanges l l, to which the sectionsG C are permanently attached, with tapering slots L', and stretch cords K K across the roller in the opposite spaces between the corrugations. To one of these cords I attach the curtain, and the other I pass over the curtain after it is wound half around the roller.

In this manner I can securely hold the curtain without the use of tacks, hooks, or other means, which almost invariably destroy the upper end of the same in a short time.

Since the curtain, if passing over the corrugations, would be somewhat kinked or folded, which is objectionable in high-priced curtains, I provide the roller with a covering or jacket, I, madein tube form, of flexible material, such as tin, rubber, paper, oil-cloth, or other suita-N ble material, and slitted longitudinally. This jacket, which is stift enough to preserve its circularity, I pass over the roller as soon as the curtain is attached, as described, whereby the same will wind upon this interposed jacket, and the above-mentioned objection overcome. This jacket is made in suitable lengths, and it, being exible and easily cut, may be adjusted to proper size by trimming the ends.

To enable the adjustment of the rods passed into the eyes formed on the lower end of the curtains, I construct the same of a tube, N, closed on one end with a suitably-projecting ornament, and pass a solid bar, L, therein, said bar being also provided Awith a corresponding ornament. By pulling this rod out of or shifting .the same into said tube N, I can instantaneously adjust this curtain-rod to the proper width of the curtain.

To retain the rod L within the tube N I provide its extremity with a spring, i, placed into a notch produced by reducing said rod, and acting against the inner surface of said tube. This rod, being heavier than those usually made, keeps the curtain straight better, and also assists in winding up evenly upon the roller.

' In order to prevent the curtain-rope from displacement I attach to the window-jamb a guard, H, having a slot-hole, h, suitably arranged, and pass the curtain-string through this slot-hole.

The brackets and all its accessories are made in all styles, and, from their particular arrangement, are capable of' being highly ornament'ed, and have, therefore, a very pleasing appearance. i.

I am aware of thev patents to W. Champbell, September 3, 1872, and Stevens and Fay, May 1, `1866, and do not claim such as my invention; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a curtain-fixture, the combination, with the toothed periphery of the cord-pulley, of the gravitating-pawl g, having the weighted end Gr, said pawl being pivoted between the walls a a' of the bracket, underneath the axis of the curtain-roller, in such a position that the cord depending from the pulley will touch the weighted and curved end of the pawl, and by a direct downward pull release it from the ratchet, as and for the use and purpose set forth.

2. A roller for curtain-xtures, composed of the sections C C, flanges l l, and pivots e e, said sections being constructed ot' metallic tubes having a quarter-foil transverse section, and arranged to slide one into the other for adjustment, substantially as described.

3. A curtain-bar composed ot' a tube and a solid rod sliding therein, said rod being provided with a spring, i, Vfor retaining said pieces in frictional contact, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the corrugated roller C, composed of sections, ot' a 'flexible jacket, I, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the bracket A', of the ratchet-wheel D, pulleyr E, ange F, gravitation-pawl G, and the guard H, substantially as described, for the object mentioned.

6. The combination, with the roller C, composed of metallic sections having a quarten foil transverse section, of, the slotted ianges l l, cords K K, and the curtain B, substantially in the manner as and for the use and purpose stated. y

In testimonywhereof I have hereto set m hand this 20th day of May, 1876, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. E. SKINNER.

Witnesses:

EDWIN HUBBELL, S. H. WILHELM. 

